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Featured Review

Golden Blossom Necklace

What a winner this necklace is. I was concerned it was going to be to tight around my neck but, the fit is wonderful with room to spare. I thought I would need to add extension chain to get the correct fit. but as I said It fits beautifully And looks beautiful just as it is. Soooooo pleased with my purchase. Beautifully done.

Featured Artist

"The loveliest part of my designs is the energy transmitted by the amber from so many sunsets – sunsets that took place long before the gem came into my hands."

"I've always liked jewelry. When I was 20, my sisters and I began selling gold, and then silver. But I always wanted to create designs of my own, so I began by putting original pieces together. They sold faster than the others. I've always found quartz and gemstones simply enchanting. And this is when I had the idea of creating an entire line of jewelry with a concept of elegance and harmony.

"At the time, I was in danger of losing my eyesight. I had glaucoma in one eye and I was ordered to rest. I realized just how much my sight means to me and, if I lost it, I wouldn't have the opportunity to design.

I began Reiki therapy during the entire month I was in repose. Thank God, through the therapy and medications, my eye was saved – it was a real miracle that there was no hemorrhage in my retina.

Afterward, the doctor gave me permission to travel to San Miguel de Allende to take a jewelry course. Thanks to this experience, my entire panorama changed. I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life designing. I continued to string jewelry while I searched for a way to set up a small workshop despite several people who tried to discourage me. I never gave up and I continue to struggle each day, always looking toward the future.

"In my tireless search, God placed wonderful people in my path so I could achieve my goals. Today, I work with a group of young people and our task begins with the extraction of amber from its natural environment.

"It never ceases to amaze me how when we begin to clean and polish the gems by hand, the amber itself permits us to discover its color and shape! It's as though the amber speaks to me through shape and tone to show me the design I should give it… it's all so special! From shaping the silver – which is done with great enthusiasm and love – to packaging a finished piece" I always try to join the elements that nature gives us to achieve a result of elegance and harmony.

"All my designs are unique because they are conceived to bring elegance and harmony to each person who wears them. They are also unique in the sense that each piece of amber is a landscape that nature created for us thousands of years ago. Just close your eyes and imagine how many sunsets, how many rainstorms and all the lovely things that happen to a drop of resin to become a unique piece of amber.

"I teach my techniques to the people who work with me, but my best inspiration comes when I've spent time close to nature. Or when I'm doing yoga, design ideas come to mind. This is the best technique.

"Also, the loveliest part of my designs is the energy transmitted by the amber from so many sunsets – sunsets that took place long before the gem came into my hands – and this gift of energy fills us with love. That's why it's so complicated for pieces to be the same. In nature, there's not a single flower that is identical to another, or a plant that grows exactly like another no matter how we cut or prune it – the colors are never identical.

"It's the same way with amber. Each piece is unique and cannot be repeated. Each encapsulates a moment of life and is not the same, even though we give another piece of amber a similar shape.

"The most difficult part is finding the perfect piece of amber so that a design looks the same each time. It's quite complicated to create a series and discover that the bits of moss enclosed in the amber are similar. Even when they come from the same chunk of amber, the gems aren't the same.

"My dreams are to create a workshop where we can generate more well-paid jobs. I'd love to create a line of traditional jewelry that sets the styles. I'd hope many people recognize that we create accessories but, at the same time, we are giving them a beautiful amulet of elegance and harmony.

"When I was a teenager, I read a book called El vendedor más grande del mundo, where I learned a phrase that I've never forgotten: 'Failure will never take me by surprise if my determination is strong enough.'"

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Your support makes a real difference to the lives of artisans.

Ernestina Asante

West Africa

Although carving has long been regarded as the preserve of men, Ernestina has been able to make her own mark on the industry, carving her own masks and djembe drums.

Through her sales with NOVICA, Ernestina has grown as an entrepreneur, expanding her business and taking on apprentices. She even persuaded her husband who was a taxi driver to quit his job and join NOVICA as a carver.